How to be a Badger while away from campus for the summer

(Editor’s Note: Sophia Ross is a rising sophomore at UW–Madison who’s spending the summer at home in Torrance, California.)

Two weeks into summer break, most Badgers (unless they’re going to Summer Term) have been enjoying the time away from deadlines, exams and assignments.

Many of the more than 50,000 Badger students are spending the summer in different states or even countries. Which raises the question: When we’re not all together cheering in Camp Randall, or watching the sunset from a table on the Terrace, how do UW–Madison students continue to celebrate being a Badger?

One way, of course, is to listen to Jump Around over and over and over again, putting it on repeat as your summer playlist.

But if blasting the same House of Pain song on repeat isn’t for you, there are more feasible ways to stay involved in the Wisconsin way, even while on summer break.

Social media, for one. With one click on your cell, you can access countless pictures of fellow students abroad for the summer, exploring new places, or perhaps enjoying their break surrounded by hometown friends.

UW-Madison student Nora Unruh said social media has allowed her to be able to stay in touch with her friends from school.

“My roommate and I aren’t huge on texting, so we often like to send funny videos back and forth, usually on TikTok, that make us think of each other,” Unruh said.

Social media also can help students feel connected to the campus itself.

Student Sonia Friemel said she “stays up to date by checking social media,” keeping up to date what’s happening in Madison even as she’s away for the summer.

Another great way to onnect with friends, classmates and roommates from UW–Madison is texts, phone calls and FaceTime calls.

Incoming sophomore Gia D’Angelo said that texting is “a great way to let my friends know that even though we are so far apart that I’m still thinking about them.”

“Almost always this starts a greater conversation that makes [her] even more excited to come back to Madison in the fall,” she said,

Additionally, if students are really missing their time in Madison, they can certainly throw on the red t-shirts we all got as freshmen during our SOAR registration session as well. Nothing says Badger pride more than those big white block letters stating “Letters and Sciences,” “Business,” “Education” and so on.

In all seriousness, repping true Wisconsin merch, not just the free handouts we all received, is a great way to feel in touch with your Badger side.

D’Angelo said wearing clothing with the Badger cardinal and white often helps her feel a part of campus, even while not being present there.

“I feel like wearing your school’s merch at home is a great way to connect with the community around you,” she said. “There have been countless times where I’m out in public wearing my merch and someone will mention it and spark a conversation”.

We might not all be on campus together the way we were just a few weeks ago. But that certainly doesn’t mean we can’t all still find ways to continue being Wisconsin proud from wherever everyone is spending their summer months. Whether it be by wearing your red Wisconsin hoodie out and about, or by FaceTiming friends from school, we all can find ways to stay connected to our university and the people we’ve met through it.